Education Seen As Crime Preventive

Chronicle (Levin), 1 October 1948, Page 2

Education Seen As Crime Preventive

WELLINGTON, Sept. 30. "I do not believe in capitai punislinient and particularly I abkor hanging, ' ' said Hon. J. lioberls (Wellington) in the Lcgislative Council today during a discussion of capitai punislinient, in tlie Imprest !Supply debate. i\l r. Roiierts said he was oi opinion that the country should do its best to abolish crime, particularly aniong youths, and the way to do thar was to teach them farming, trades and the crafts. Regarding hanging, Mr. Koberts said that if people were unlitted to be in human society, there were sane ways and human ways of doing away vvitti them. Crimes should be punished and those who committed crimes should pay the penalty. ^ If the human race spent as much money and timo -in oducating people as it spent in brutalising and destroying people, then there would be more in-' telligent people, said Mr. Roberts. When countries stopped brutaiity against the people and educated the people, then crimes of a brutal nature would be stopped. Hon. E. R. Davis (Auckland), who raised the subject of capitai punislinient, said he helieved the abolition of the death penalty had been a great niistake hnd had caused a miscarriage. of justice. The death sentence should be there as a deterrent and the restitution of the death penalty would save the iives of unfortunate persons., In addition, what was most likely to stop the increase of crime aniong youths and boys, was a lash — a good sound flogging j or whipping that would act as a deter- ' rent for boys from 14 years to 17 years. f